Five Years Later
by DirectorCarmichael
Summary: A look at Peeta and Katniss' life five years after the war, when an unexpected visitor arrives. Everlark.
1. Gale's Return

I looked out the small window at the lake as I washed our dishes from breakfast. It was still early morning, and the lake still had a thin layer of mist rising off of it as the heat of the summer day increased slowly. I sigh, and smile, thinking that my life can't get much more perfect.

My name is Katniss Mellark, Hunger Games victor, former symbol of the rebellion, and most importantly, wife to Peeta Mellark.

It didn't take long for us to come back together once Peeta got back from the Capitol. We gravitated towards each other – as if it was a force of nature – not that either of us minded in the least. He stemmed the flood of nightmares that haunted my nights, I brought him back when he lost himself to the hijacking. Eventually, it got better as we learned to move forward and live our lives, not dwelling in the past, but never forgetting.

Our relationship developed quickly. It started as a close bond of friendship. After all we'd been through together, the foundation was there and it was rock solid. Soon, though, we were kissing. Small pecks after a nightmare, a kiss on the forehead when one of us woke up.

One night, all the pent up passion, frustration, and need from our years of tumultuous events exploded into a night that neither of us won't ever forget. I will always remember the look in his eye as I stood up off the bed and shed every article of clothing, shyly looking down at him, silently asking if it was okay. He responded by simply pulling me down to him and locking his lips to mine. It was the first time for both of us, and even though it started a little awkwardly, it soon became something only two people deeply, irrevocably in love can share.

In the middle of that first, exhilarating time, I made a decision. I was on my back, Peeta above me, my legs locked around his hips, begging him to go deeper, needing every bit of him. Suddenly he stopped, looking down at me with a somewhat puzzled expression.

"What is it?" I asked, timid.

"You're crying," he pointed out, wiping a single tear from my cheek. "Why?"

It took me but a second to answer, firmly, never questioning what I was about to do.

"I want to be your wife."

That's how Peeta and I got engaged.

Our wedding was small, simple, and perfect. We had it by the lake, where my father had taught me how to swim, where Peeta and I had spent countless days together. The only other people there were the new mayor and Haymitch. We said our vows, exchanged simple gold wedding bands, and we were joined in matrimony. It wasn't until we went home, sat by the fire, and had our toasting that we both felt actually married. That was also the night Peeta revealed his idea – for us to build a house by the lake – somewhere he and I could live our lives in peace.

Now, almost five years after the war ended, I could not be any happier. Our days are spent together, fishing, hunting, reading, writing, painting, baking. He actually taught me how to paint somewhat, something I now greatly enjoy. While Peeta can capture the soul of someone on canvas, he swears I can capture a feeling when I paint a sunset. I do it because I know how much he loves them. After many tries, I finally taught Peeta how to hunt. To get around his inevitable loud gait, we set up blinds high up in the trees. We spend hours up there, quietly whispering to one another, most of the time not really caring whether or not we bagged any game.

Our love has only grown in these few short years. When I married Peeta, I thought I couldn't possibly love him any more. Now I know how very wrong I was. He is my other half, my complement, the very reason for my existence. And however improbable I may sometimes feel it is, I know he feels exactly the same way about me. Every 'I love you' means that much more, every time we make love is the very highlight of my life, every morning when I wake up and see him I cannot fathom a life without him.

Peeta only asked me about having kids once, before we got married. I laid out my fears about raising a family, and even though I could see the hurt in his eyes, he accepted it. He assured me that if I never changed my mind, a life with me would be more than perfect, more than he could ever want. I didn't ask him to, but he never brought it up again.

That is, until I decided it was time.

He was back in the District, running a few errands, while I was at home. I had been thinking a lot about it recently, how wonderful it would be to share something so special with my husband. I knew how happy it would make him, and what surprised me was how happy the mere thought of kids made me. The swell of love inside me as I thought about raising a family, being a mother, made me resolute. I could not wait for my husband to get home.

When Peeta returned that day, I was on the front porch waiting for him. I was wearing my silk robe, the one that always made Peeta hot and heavy. He was already smiling brightly at me as he approached, and when he was a few feet from me, I silently untied my robe and let it slip off me, leaving me exposed and completely naked for my husband. He rushed to me, trying to cover me up, protecting me. I giggled, reminding him how alone we were.

"Katniss! What are you doing?" He asked me frantically.

I reached up and kissed him hard, and he had no choice but to respond. When our lips parted, I moved my mouth to his ear, and whispered.

"Take your clothes off and let's make a baby."

His eyes nearly bugged out his head when his brain processed my statement.

"Kat, are you – are you sure?" He stuttered.

I pouted, planting my fists on my hips, tapping my foot impatiently. When he didn't immediately respond, still looking bewildered, I reached out and snapped open the button on his jeans, forcefully lowering the zipper. He finally came to his senses and reached for the hem of his shirt before my hands stopped him.

"Let me," I pleaded. He nodded, and I took his shirt and the rest of his clothes off, leaving both of us ready and willing.

We made love right there on the bench on the front porch, letting ourselves melt into each other, knowing that this was something so different and so special, because we were trying to conceive.

Now, I am a few months along. A couple weeks ago, as we lay spent in our bed after yet another round of lovemaking, Peeta excitedly pointed out the tiny, slight swell of my belly.

"Katniss! That's our baby! Right there!"

He leaned over and gently kissed the bump, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I love you," I barely eeked out, threading my fingers through his thick blonde hair.

"I love you too baby, so much," he answered, finally making his way up to my face and kissing me sweetly and softly.

Today, Peeta left after breakfast to go check the snare lines to see if we caught anything. We get a lot of supplies from the District, but we try to be as self-sufficient as we can. We've made our own life out here, in the woods by the lake, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this earthly world.

Suddenly, I heard a forceful knock on the door. Who the heck could that be? We almost _never_ get visitors, and the ones that do rarely come out have learned to make sure we know beforehand. Haymitch learned that lesson first hand when he got close to the house and clearly heard us screaming each other's names and gasping in the throes of passion.

I walked through the house to the front door, wondering who had decided to come out all this way.

When I swung the door open, nothing could prepare me for the man that stood on the other side.

Gale.

He had his arms open, as if he was expecting me to run into his embrace, a smug smile on his face.

"Catnip! I finally made it! I can't believe you built our house out here!"

I couldn't believe it. Five years ago he just up and left, not even bothering to say goodbye. Granted, I was furious with him, but I never thought my friend would just abandon me. I have gotten over his role in Prim's death, with a lot of help from my husband, and now my anger at him has a lot more to do with his actions towards me. How he tried to get close to me in 13 when Peeta was in captivity, attempting to slyly use his absence to try and somehow win my heart. How he had never really accepted my love for Peeta, always looking at him warily and me expectantly, as if I would one day run into his arms and proclaim my undying love. How he abandoned me, broken, depressed, and mourning, and never once tried to call or visit or reconcile.

"My name is Katniss," I snarled. "Mrs. Mellark to you." I raised my left hand up, making sure he saw the gold band wrapped around my ring finger.

"There's no need to pretend with me," he angrily responded. "I came back for you. I know you love me, and you just married Peeta because I wasn't here. Well, I'm back, so we can start our life together now."

This wasn't the Gale I knew as a teenager. This was a shell of that man – his mind and soul ravaged by war, twisted by the horrors. Even though I knew I couldn't really blame him, his attitude infuriated me. Scratch that, I blame him.

While I pondered my response, not wanting to further anger him, he actually tried to lean in and kiss me, his lips puckered, his eyes sliding shut. Before he got remotely close, I reached back and slapped him with my left hand, making sure my ring made good contact with his face. He reeled back, the rage returning to his gaze.

He lifted his hand to hit me, and I instinctually covered my abdomen with both hands, motherly instinct causing me to automatically protect mine and Peeta's child.

Gale froze, his eyes wandering down to my stomach.

"What the fuck is that!"

I swallowed, trying my hardest to stay calm.

"You actually let that psycho touch you? Rape you? That should be my child inside you! I should be the one on top of you every night!"

That was it. I couldn't hold my tongue any longer. I was the girl on fire, after all.

"Gale, Peeta and I are starting a family. If you want, I would like to calmly sit down with you and discuss what has happened to our friendship. I never thought it would come to this, but you need to accept the fact that I am married to Peeta. I will _always_ be his wife and the mother of his children. I could never love another."

"That's just fucking great, Katniss. You actually let him brainwash you. This is going to be harder than I thought," he said, actually starting to scare me.

He reached out and grabbed my arm with anger, trying to pull me out of my house, away from my life with Peeta. This, I would not allow. Any hopes of reconciling my friendship with Gale had now long been abandoned. I saw only one option.

I reared back and with all the rage I could muster, kicked him square in the balls.

He let me go, his hands flying to his crotch, his body failing him as he fell to his knees.

I didn't waste the opportunity. I had survived two Hunger Games. I knew how to fight. I punched him hard in the face, and he collapsed in a heap onto the porch, grasping onto the last vestiges of his consciousness.

I leaned down, close to his face so I could make sure he heard every word I was about to speak.

"If you ever, and I mean ever, come near me or my family again, I will put an arrow right between your eyes. And Gale, you of all people know that I will not miss. My husband will be home any minute, and when he shows up, I'm going to show him exactly how much I've missed him. You'd better be gone when I come back outside."

That's when I saw the light of my life emerge from the woods. His eyes showed the surprise at seeing Gale crumpled on our front porch and me standing over him with a look of triumph on my face.

"What happened?" Peeta asked gently as he approached.

"His visit didn't go the way he planned," I simply responded. "Now come inside, I've missed my baby's daddy."

Peeta looked down at Gale, a fleeting look of pity appearing across his features. It was quickly replaced with anger as he understood the situation, and realized the only way I would react that violently was if my or our baby's safety was compromised. He simply stepped over Gale and into my arms, neither of us looking back as we slammed the door behind us.

I made sure to be extra loud, so that when the piece of garbage on our front porch woke up, he'd know that I made my choice long ago.


	2. Ten-Point Buck

It's been one week since Gale showed up. When we came back outside, he was gone, like I told him he should be. Peeta and I have gotten back into our routine, trying our best to forget about the unpleasant visit from my former friend.

Two days ago we went into the District for my checkup. We had an ultrasound done, and everything with our baby is looking great. We're holding off on finding out the sex for now, but Peeta thinks it's a girl. At least he's hoping it is.

Today we're out hunting. I'm using my dad's old bow, the bow I've used for years. Peeta is using his bow. I handcrafted it and gave it to him for his birthday three years ago. He cherishes it, and I helped him string it. He carved our initials into it, and I did the same with mine. Peeta really has become an excellent hunter, learning how to use his disadvantages to his advantage. After years, I have slowly taught him to walk quieter, picking out his steps carefully to avoid making noise. He's, over time, gotten much better.

Right now, we're tracking a ten-point buck. Peeta spotted him around dawn and we've been on his trail ever since. He keeps avoiding us, staying downwind. Every time I try to circle around, he somehow knows and scurries away. We split up an hour ago, Peeta hiking out way to the north to try and cut him off. If we can bag him, we'll have fresh venison for a while, not to mention a good looking set of antlers for the house.

I'm silently standing near a tree, listening intently. I hear the birds singing, the light rustle of the leaves in the wind, and some insects chirping. Then, I hear the very distinct sound of human footsteps. Peeta shouldn't be this close to me, and if he was, he would have whistled out our warning a long time ago, before I would be able to hear his feet. My reflexes kick in, and I knock an arrow and raise my bow to my eye line.

"Who's there?" I call out.

"Calm down, Catnip, it's just me."

Gale. Again. Great.

"I already asked you not to call me that," I snap. He comes out from behind a tree twenty feet in front of me. "I told you that you can call me Mrs. Mellark."

He laughs sarcastically.

"Soon I'll call you Mrs. Hawthorne," he snivels with an evil smirk.

I roll my eyes.

"Sure, sure, Gale, whatever you say."

"You are coming back with me to 2, be assured of that," he says confidently. He starts walking towards me slowly, his hands in his pockets. He seems relaxed.

I aim my bow at him.

"Stop right there Gale."

"Oh relax," he says casually.

"I'm serious, Gale, don't come an inch closer."

"You'd never shoot me Catnip."

Before I can do anything, or even yell at him for calling me that stupid nickname again, I feel the whoosh of an arrow passing by not six inches to the left of my head. It sails directly at Gale, the titanium arrowhead just clipping his earlobe, taking a sizeable chunk out of it and leaving it bloody.

"I believe my wife asked you to stop," I hear Peeta behind me. I glance over my shoulder and he already has another arrow knocked and aimed. He's walking with the slow, even gait I taught him that aids in shooting while moving.

"This doesn't concern you, baker boy," Gale spits.

"On the contrary," Peeta retorts, now standing next to me, "if you're bothering my wife, it certainly concerns me."

"She's not going to be your 'wife' for long!" Gale yells. Peeta rolls his eyes, I shake my head.

"Whatever, Gale," Peeta breathes, tired of his games.

"Catnip, are you really going to stay married to a guy who tried to kill you?" He looks at me, referring to Peeta's hijacking.

"Seriously, Gale?" I ask incredulously. "Not only was that years ago, but it wasn't the real Peeta, and he hasn't had an attack in months, over a year actually. Not that it's any of your damn business."

"Oh, so you obviously never told him about you and me," Gale says.

"What? Stop lying, Gale," I try to cut him off.

"Oh but it's true, Catnip."

"What's he talking about Kat?" Peeta asks me with concern.

"He's lying Peeta," I say gently. "You know he is."

"No I'm not baker boy. When you were in the Capitol, I was there for her. Who do you think comforted her? Kept her company at night? Kissed her?"

"Shut up Gale!" I scream. This is spiraling out of control, quickly.

I glance at Peeta and I can see his face contorting in pain. Oh god. No, no not now! His eyes start to darken. Gale obviously sees this, because the next words send Peeta over the edge.

"You never told him about our baby, Catnip?"

"MUTT!" Peeta screams. "You lying mutt!" He yells at me.

I quickly put my arrow back in my quiver and sling my bow over my shoulder. I could care less about Gale right now. Peeta dropped his bow long ago.

I turn to Peeta and grasp his shoulders. He hasn't touched me in anger once since he's been home from the Capitol, so I'm not afraid in the slightest. Even at his worst, he somehow knows not to harm me, no matter what insane, horrific things he's seeing.

"Peeta, honey, it's not real. Whatever you're seeing, it's not real. He's a liar. We're married. We've been married for almost five years. I love you, nobody else. We're having a baby together in a few months. A beautiful, perfect baby, and we're going to be a happy family. Come back to me baby, come back to me. Please."

I can see him fighting it, his eyes shifting colors, his face twisting in obvious hurt. I know he's trying to bring himself back.

"Not. Real," he whimpers.

"There you go baby, not real," I coax. "That's it, Peeta, come back to me."

I know there's one thing left for me to do to fully bring him back, and that's kiss him. Hard. I crash my lips into his and force my tongue into his mouth. He responds almost immediately, roughly, and after a few seconds I'm sure I have my husband back.

We break the kiss and I whisper against his lips.

"I love you."

He whispers it back.

Suddenly I feel a possessive, hard grip on my shoulder. Gale. I'd almost forgot he was here.

"Don't you see now Catnip? You can't raise a kid with this monster. He's unstable. He'll kill you and your baby. Come with me, I can keep you safe."

My rage is building, about to bubble over. I can see Peeta is angry, but I slightly shake him off, letting him know I will handle it. He nods almost imperceptibly and mouths 'always' to me. I mouth it back and smile.

In one swift move, I turn to Gale, grabbing his collar, getting as much fabric as I can. I reach behind me and grab the handle of my knife out of its sheath on my belt. I shove him backwards into the nearest tree, bringing the blade up against his throat. He looks stunned.

"What the fuck Gale?"

"I had to show you the truth," he tries.

"You think I didn't know about his attacks? You think I'm ignorant? We were doing great, until you showed up!"

"He's a monster, Catnip. A mutt. I can be a real husband to you."

I roll my eyes. This is getting old, quick.

"He's my husband, Gale. Look at him. No, I want you to look at him. He's a real man. He came back to me after the war, when he didn't even know if we loved each other. He conquered his demons to take care of me, putting me in front of him. What did you do? Ran off to 2 for some fancy military job! And now you think I'll just run away with you?"

"I was setting up our life, Catnip. I thought you figured that out," he's trying to look at me with love, but it just comes off super creepy. "I knew you'd marry him because he was here. I'm okay with that. We can go to the Justice Building and get you a divorce, then to the healer's so you can get an aborti-"

"Don't you dare finish that fucking word!" I scream.

"You really want to have a mutt child?" He sneers. "You know it's going to be a mutt. It's father's a mutt."

"Seriously, Gale, you keep talking like this, you're never leaving this forest alive. Give me one good reason I shouldn't open up your neck right now and watch you die with my husband holding my hand."

"You love me, Catnip."

I laugh, as does Peeta behind me.

"That's funny, Gale. Thanks for the good laugh. I never loved you. Maybe, once, as a brother, but I've been in love with Peeta for years. Probably ever since I was eleven to tell you the truth. Want to try again?"

"You won't commit murder," is his next argument.

"Really? Do you not remember I went through two Hunger Games and a damn rebellion? It's just us three out here. I could kill you and nobody would ever find your body, or what was left of it."

He swallows hard, and I see he's actually a little frightened. Good.

"Now, if I let you go, you're going to march back to 12, get on the first train out of here, and go back to 2. Find yourself a blonde bimbo who will eat up your bullshit, I don't care. But you will never bother us again. Got it?"

"No," he says defiantly.

"Fine. Peeta, give me your phone."

"Why?" Peeta asks.

"So I can call the mental institution in 8. Have them come pick this wacko up."

Peeta chuckles, but before he can hand me his phone, Gale speaks up.

"I actually see a psychiatrist in 2."

"Really?" He nods. "Peeta, grab Gale's phone out of his pocket."

Peeta comes up and fishes out Gale's phone. Gale tells him what his doctor is listed under, and Peeta makes the call, putting it on speakerphone.

"Mr. Hawthorne?" The doctor answers.

"Dr. Severin," Gale breathes. "I'm in a bit of a pickle."

"What's it now, Gale?"

"Well, I'm in 12, and Katniss has a knife to my throat."

The doctor sighs.

"I told you not to confront Ms. Everdeen until we progressed further, Gale."

"Mellark," I snap.

"I'm sorry, ma'am?"

"My name is Mrs. Mellark. I haven't been an Everdeen for almost five years."

"Apologies, Mrs. Mellark."

"Fine," I tell him.

"Gale, I thought we discussed the only reason you'd ever return to 12 would be to visit your family and maybe, maybe talk to Mrs. Mellark to get closure. Mrs. Mellark, may I ask you, how has his visit gone to come to this point?"

"He showed up last week," I explain. "I was home alone, and he thought I'd just run into his arms. Then he started screaming at me when he discovered that I'm married and pregnant. So I had to hit him to get him to leave. Then he showed up today while I was hunting with my husband, and caused my husband to have a relapse, trying to prove he was the better man or something. So I pulled a knife on him, trying to get him to see that I don't want anything to do with him."

The doctor sighs again, and takes a moment to digest what I've told him.

"Can you please take me off speakerphone so I can speak to Mrs. Mellark privately?"

"Peeta?" I prompt. Peeta nods and clicks it off speaker, holding it up to my ear.

"Mrs. Mellark, I am very sorry about this. I have been treating Gale for four years. Almost all of our visits are about you. He truly believes you are in love with him, no matter what I tell him. He believes you are only married out of necessity, and that you will run away with him if he asks you to."

"Is he crazy?" I ask, looking Gale in the eye. He actually looks hurt. Ha.

"No, not legally. He is fixated on you. I understand before the war you two were good friends?"

"Yes, we were."

"Were you ever romantic?"

"No."

"He has told me about a couple of kisses. Is that the furthest it progressed?"

"Yes."

He sighs deeply.

"Mrs. Mellark, once again I apologize. I thought we had progressed, but apparently I was mistaken. I must warn you and your husband that your rejection may cause him to become violent towards the two of you, especially your husband, who he sees as his competition."

"Great," I say sarcastically.

"Can you put me back on speaker now?"

"Peeta?" I look to him. He understands and clicks it back on speaker.

"Gale, who are you staying with there?"

"My mother," Gale answers, glaring at Peeta.

"Very well. When we finish this call, I want you to go back there, and call me. We need to have a serious discussion. Do you understand?"

"Yes, doctor," he says reluctantly.

"Good. Mrs. Mellark, do I have your permission to contact you at your home later this evening?"

"Certainly," I answer.

"Thank you. Once again, I apologize to you and your husband. I hope your day is better from now on."

"Thanks," I tell him. I motion for Peeta to end the call, and he puts the phone back in Gale's pocket.

"Well that was fun," I tell Gale sarcastically. "Now go home and call your doctor, Gale. I don't ever want to see your face again."

"I'll be back Catnip," he sneers.

I roll my eyes and knee him in the balls, hard.

"Still sore from last week?" I tease. "Probably doesn't even matter. I bet they're tiny anyways. Nothing like my husband's." I see Peeta blushing. He he. He'll get his reward for being a good boy once we get home.

Before I let Gale go, I press the blade a little harder into his neck, drawing a bit of blood.

"Seriously, Gale, I respect that you're getting treatment, but leave us the hell alone. We're trying to live our life, have a family in peace. If you were ever my friend, please just let us be."

He glares at me, his face filled with fury.

"This isn't the end," he warns.

I release him and shove him away from me.

"Just go, Gale."

He takes one last hard look at us, his gaze at Peeta filled with hate, and then trudges away. I sigh and run my hand through my hair.

Peeta takes me in his arms, wrapping them tightly around me.

"I'm sorry," I mumble into his chest.

"It's not your fault, honey," he assures me.

"Of course it is. He's here because of me," I tell him.

"No. He's here because he's a nut job." We both chuckle. "You didn't ask him to come, you don't want him here. Hence, not your fault."

"I still feel guilty," I admit.

He sighs.

"My girl, always taking the blame," he says with a smile.

"You do the same thing!" I accuse.

"Fair enough," he shrugs. We laugh.

"We lost that buck," I look around us.

"We'll find him sooner or later," Peeta says with confidence. "He can't hide from us forever. These are our woods, Kat."

"Yes they are. Let's go home, I want to cuddle with my husband and my baby."

"That sounds just about perfect," Peeta grins, leaning down to kiss me sweetly on the lips.

"I love you, Peeta, forever."

"I love you too, Katniss. Always."

We walk home hand in hand, hoping that's the last we've seen of Gale Hawthorne.

**A/N: So I had been thinking about the next chapter of this story for a while, and this just popped in my head last night, so I wanted to write it. I know Gale is wayyyyyy OOC, but whatever. It's a fun, silly story. Let me know if you liked it, or want me to continue with more scenes. **

**For those of you who read "It Was A Lie", the next chapter of that story will be up later today. **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


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